❖ “US effort to recover remains of missing soldiers a ‘total failure’–report: Internal analysis suppressed by military shows mismanagement in pursuit of thousands still missing on former battlefields.” Somehow the AP got this story under FOIA.

International Finance

❖ What does the US want from Latin America and Asia in the TransPacific Partnership? According to this source, to: deregulate their financial markets; adopt pro-US intellectual property provisions; and allow US firms to sue their governments for violating any TPP provisions. Interesting comparison made to what China has reportedly offered.

❖ Greece did get those bailout funds ($8.7bn), with the warning that they are behind in fulfilling their “reform programme”, a cruel regimen which includes reducing salaries of 25,000 civil servants “before either being dismissed or redeployed”. Unemployment currently at 27%. Austerity is not the road to prosperity.

❖ “Bolivia has summoned the ambassadors of France, Spain, Portugal and Italy to explain why their countries blocked President Evo Morales’ jet last week.” Also, the Irish High Court “has refused” the US request for a provisional arrest warrant for Snowden. Insufficient specificity about the “alleged offences”.

❖ “Brazil demands explanation from US over NSA spying: Foreign minister expresses ‘deep concern’ over extensive spying revealed in documents uncovered by Edward Snowden.” They’ll be asking the UN “to work on an international regulation ‘to impede abuses and protect the privacy’ of internet users.”

❖ “20 investigators . . . have pleaded guilty or have been convicted of falsifying” background reports for government contractors. “Half of them worked for companies such as Altegrity Inc., which performed a background check on . . . Edward Snowden.”